Powder Horns

[olkoot]

I'm thinking about making powder horns as a hobby.....I've found one place to get supplies and thats Track Of THe Wolf....does anyone have other sites and has anyone ever done scrimshaw???...I've already made a couple of possibles bags for my own personnal use.....and I'm not looking to sell, this would be just for my own pleasure.....

[tphunter]

A friend of mine gets most of his parts off of ebay...Here's one he made for me:



The Mountainman on this side is from a drawing I did several years ago:

[olkoot]

That looks real great.... ;D....I think scrimshaw is one of the classics that has since become a dying art...its too bad because I've seen some real involved work....When I start, I hope I have the dexterity to hold steady while doing the work....did you make the call also?

[tphunter]

Yup that there is one of my calls.

Let me check with a buddy of mine from Louisiana thats does some incredible scrimshaw work on Wingbone calls...I'll see if he won't come over here and give you some pointers...

[chuck1]

tphunter

Great pics looking foward to posibly seeing your buddies work and pointers Interesting. Neet call also.

[olkoot]

That would be great tphunter....hate to see a talent go to waste without sharing....

[tphunter]

Well he's joined the forum but is having trouble posting for some reason...He'll keep trying...

[laturkeyhtr]

Olkoot,

I finally made it back here at TP's request. Sometimes it just takes my a long time to find one of those "roundtuits".

My computer time lately has been slim, since I have three yards to maintain and two kids that have had a summer full of fun. BUT I do answer emails and I will try to check back in on this thread and see what we can help teach each other.

I have a lot of pix of wingbone yelpers I have done in the past plus a couple of other items that I have scrimshawed but not sure how to post pix here. Feel free to drop me an email incase I don't check in often enough to suit you.

[olkoot]

Laturkeyhtr, thanks for the response...I really havent done anything while waiting to hear from you...Right now I have to see if I have the dexterity to do scrimshaw, or anything that delicate....I've always had a heavy hand.......
Posting pics is not that difficult, all you need is a host site.....www.photobucket.com is one, and all you have to do is register, then when you want to post a pic, just right clic on the pic, then click save as...and it will appear in either your pictures or in your documents...whatever you choose...then you go back to the Photo bucket site...click on browse and find the picture....when the right item appears click on submitt, and it wll upload your pic to their site.....then you scroll down to find the pic....you'll see the pic as well as three URl's.....theyre self explanatory.....you just right click on the URL then click on copy.....you then come to the Racks and Spurs site, cut and paste it to your post..thats all....I'd like to see some of your work anyway, before I make a decision on whether or not I can do it.......Thanks......

[laturkeyhtr]

Olkoot, I used to post pix all of the time, have just got away from doing it and have forgot where all I have them stored.

Here is a couple to help start the discussion:



And I suppose my "trademark" or what I put on all of my calls just because is my rendition of a turkey feather



I have been doing scrimshaw on turkey yelpers for about 7-8 years. Fell free to ask me specific questions and I will see what I can do to answer them. I will say that I don't consider myself an artist at all but I am rather handy with tools. I learned from a sure nuff scrimshaw artist from South Dakota and she is good! I paid her to do one of my calls and I took a lead then from her work. She gave me some very simple instructions, like polish my calls, scratch the design with an altered dental pick, then ink the scratches. I have learned to elaborate on her technique, but is how I learned. To help you understand me, I am 56, semi retired carpenter, unemployed forester and a house Dad. Other than that, just another southern redneck that enjoys the outdoors.

[THE GOB-FATHER]

Hey those are nice! Here's a question for ya... I just got into making wingbones last year and wondered what the best way to get that marrow out of the middle of the bone is? I made the mistake of boiling it with it in and when I cut it there was a lot of that "hard webbing" on the inside. I got most of it out with some elbow grease and a little sander drill but do you have an easier way to smooth out the inside of the bones?

[hogdogs]

mail them to a southern member to be placed at a fireant mound! That works for most bone cleaning!!! We clean shark jaws, hog heads and any other bony growth with tissue of any kind attached. if you propagate a nest of ants (at the back of property) with strips of bacon and scraps of plywood (they will nest under the wood) you will get the same result but slower. Don't missout on your feedings though or they will move as soon as hungry! I suggest keeping fatback pork bacon for this as it is cheapest. and fats are the target just put the bone on the bacon and then don't add bacon during process but take some with you to replace with the bone and keep them close.... brent

[hogdogs]

Scrimshaw is a nearly lost art!!! Dexterity is not a concern... I know more scrim carvers with debilitating arthritis than without! it is patience and if you ain't got it... work at it.... it is to be developed!!! I can only carve stick men but that is 'cuz that is all I can draw!!! If you can trace a road on a map with your finger... you can scrim... But YOU MUST MAKE YOUR SELF DO IT!!!! Bone is easier than wood to scrim as the grain is tighter and less inconsistent so if you practice on REALLY HARD wood you will know if the art is for you and try on old bones collected from the woods or like in my case... From the yard... you find you are catching on to the hand control needed... TAKE THE LEAP and get a piece of tooth etc. to try but remember that you are learning and be ready to toss out the failures!!! BRENT

[olkoot]

Very interesting, just a little knowledge and one can be on his way....By the way, those calls are real purty, and well done....I'm going to get some wings together, and probably a horn or two...

[laturkeyhtr]

Gob Faather, the marrow is only found in the radius and ulna bones. The humerous is the one with the webbing you refer to. I boil them, cut them with a hacksaw while they are wet, and poke or blow the marrow out. The larger humerous, I use a small blade knife and break out what I can and then use a round file to get what is left. I usually don't try to make it that slick on the outside for fear of getting thin spots that make the bone weak.

As opposed to hogdogs, I prefer to boil the meat off and clean them as quickly as possible. The minute tissue left in there will tend to decay and in some instance will stain the bone beyoud what peroxide will remove.

Olkoot, I have never tried scrimming on horn, but have one I may have to try at some time just to see how it works.